When Is Activation Triggered?

[Stever]

I'm running XP Pro SP1 on my home box. Since the original
install and activation the only hardware change has been
the installation of a SCSI card and a Travan drive.
Actually the SCSI card itself was in the system
and "working properly" when I first installed/activated XP
about a year ago, but I just recently installed the Travan
drive and connected it to the card.

I am considering several component upgrades, including
video card, audio card and hard drive (possibly even
CPU). I've heard that making 'significant' hardware
changes to an XP box will trigger reactivation, and I'm
wondering what that threshold is.

I realize that if I replace my existing HD I'll have to re-
install XP, so that'll trigger reactivation, but what
about just replacing the video and audio cards? Are there
specific activities that are known to trigger reactivation?

Finally, is there a limit to the number of times you can
reactivate a given copy of XP? For example, if I replace
the HD and reactivate, then a month later replace the CPU
and have to reactivate, then if reactivation is triggered
yet again by additional component upgrades, will anything
funky happen?

I'm just trying to get a feel for what to expect when I
start these upgrades. Thanks much!

-Stever

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Steve;
There is no limit to the number of times you can install or activate
on the same computer.
Activation will be no problem, worst case is a 5 minute call to
Microsoft.

See this link:
http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm

 

[Stever]

Thanks so much for the quick reply!

-Stever

-----Original Message-----
Steve;
There is no limit to the number of times you can install or activate
on the same computer.
Activation will be no problem, worst case is a 5 minute call to
Microsoft.

See this link:
http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
An easier way to read newsgroup messages:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/newsgroups/se tup.asp
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/





.

 

[Donald McDaniel]

I'm running XP Pro SP1 on my home box. Since the original
install and activation the only hardware change has been
the installation of a SCSI card and a Travan drive.
Actually the SCSI card itself was in the system
and "working properly" when I first installed/activated XP
about a year ago, but I just recently installed the Travan
drive and connected it to the card.

I am considering several component upgrades, including
video card, audio card and hard drive (possibly even
CPU). I've heard that making 'significant' hardware
changes to an XP box will trigger reactivation, and I'm
wondering what that threshold is.

I realize that if I replace my existing HD I'll have to re-
install XP, so that'll trigger reactivation, but what
about just replacing the video and audio cards? Are there
specific activities that are known to trigger reactivation?

Finally, is there a limit to the number of times you can
reactivate a given copy of XP? For example, if I replace
the HD and reactivate, then a month later replace the CPU
and have to reactivate, then if reactivation is triggered
yet again by additional component upgrades, will anything
funky happen?

I'm just trying to get a feel for what to expect when I
start these upgrades. Thanks much!

-Stever

Simply replacing a video or sound card shouldn't trigger reactivation. I
recently replaced my sound card, and I didn't have to reactivate.